Have a heart this Valentine's Day, consider organ donation

CTCA
February 14, 2014

Valentine’s Day marks National Organ Donor Day, and you can show your love by giving one of the most important gifts of all—life.

On any given day, over 100,000 people are waiting for an organ, and every 10 minutes someone new is added to the wait list. While 79 people on average receive an organ transplant each day, 18 people die waiting for one (organdonor.gov).

Thousands of lives can be saved and improved each year through donations like the following:

Organ donation: Just one organ could save up to eight lives. Transplanted organs currently include: the kidneys, heart, lungs, liver, pancreas and intestines. Most often donors are deceased, but some organs can be donated by living donors.

Tissue donation: Donated tissues such as skin, bone and heart valves can save and dramatically improve the quality of life of the recipient. One tissue donor can enhance the lives of more than 50 people.

Eye and cornea donation: Since 1961, more than one million people of all ages have had their sight restored through corneal transplant operations.

Stem cell donation: Each year, more than 20,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses, including hematologic cancers like leukemia and lymphoma. 70 percent of patients who need a stem cell transplant will need marrow, peripheral blood or umbilical cord blood from a matching, unrelated donor.

Blood and platelets donation: Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood. One donation can help save the lives of up to three people.

Almost anyone can be an organ donor, regardless of age or medical history. Become a donor today and change someone’s life.

Guidelines

The information contained in this blog is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Nothing contained in the blog is intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment of any illness, condition or disease.